Dev Patel is a British actor, best known for playing Jamal Malik in Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire (2008), for which he won a number of awards, including a Critics' Choice Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Patel is also known for his role as Anwar Kharral, a British Indian Muslim teenager in Skins; as Sonny Kapoor in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel; and as Neal Sampat in Aaron Sorkin's HBO show The Newsroom.

Dev Patel is proud of his big ears. The star of "The Last Airbender" used to get bullied at school for his appearance, but never got upset by any of the taunts and was able to laugh at himself. He said, "I've always been a happy bunny. My life has always been uncomplicated. Growing up, religion and race were never issues for me."

"I'd regularly attend Hindu temple, but the faith was never forced on me. At school I was bullied by the older kids, but I never experienced any racism. I was teased for having big ears, but I didn't mind that. I saw it as a badge of honor. I used to run round the playground pretending that my ears were the FA Cup handles. I never had a problem making myself popular."